Cessna 172S accident near Arlington, Texas, August 9, 2016
On August 9, 2016 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna 172S, registered N544SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Arlington, Texas (Arlington Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2016 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Texas · Arlington Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2000 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N544SP · registry record · serial 172S8399
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a full-stop landing to the 100 foot wide paved runway the airplane hit "very hard and bounced to a very high level". The student pilot did not execute a go-around and reported that on the second touchdown "he tried to hold it off again", but the operating propeller struck the runway surface and the airplane bounced a second time. On the third touchdown the nose gear collapsed, directional control was lost, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. After digging into the grass the nose gear completely separated resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and the forward fuselage. The student pilot and the operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Part(s) separation from AC during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skymates INC
The flight
- Departed from: GKY Arlington TX
- Destination: GKY Arlington TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,080 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 25, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Handwritten Statements from Student Pilot and Supervising Flight Instructor | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence from the Operator | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.